Social Divide In The Gilded Age

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What did the gilded age consist of? The gilded age was a time period that took place during the late 19th century and early 20th century and it consisted of economic prosperity for many Americans while for others economic growth was not so prosperous. The industry was expanding significantly and that changed the American society. The American industry boomed; consequently, a division between the workers and the owners grew and that created what is known as a social divide. The social divide was the division of the rich from the poor. While there were people living a luxurious life there was also a group of people living in poverty; even though there were differences amongst them, there were also similarities and the people in poverty also known…show more content…
It can be said that the wealthy and the poor are polar opposites and do not have anything in common during this time period; however, the truth is they do share various similarities. As the first consideration, both groups of people performed the same activities for their entertainment. Entertainment during this time period was considered a bridge to the different groups of “class, race, and gender” during this time period. One of the most popular activities for entertainment that linked the wealthy and the poor was the attendance to city parks in where they would perform such activities as watch sports and take calm walks. Both class groups also enjoyed attending theaters and in where they watched different plays be performed, one of which is amongst the most popular types is “the musical comedy”. Both the wealthy and the poor also performed the same activities during their spare time. One of the most popular activity they carried out was the attendance to Coney Island which was an “amusement park and resort on a popular beach in Brooklyn”. Coney Island permitted both types of parents to enjoy their time with their children, in a place where they could both have fun. Both class groups also attended “dance halls,vaudeville houses and concert halls” during their spare time. There were various links between the wealthy and the poor. Nevertheless, there are differences that exist amongst these two groups. To begin with, a major difference amongst the wealthy and the poor was their homes location and condition. The wealthy tended to own homes that were mansions and they were located in exclusive city areas such as “Fifth Avenue in New York, Back Bay and Beacon Hill in Boston,” and “Nob Hill in San Francisco”, as well as many other exclusive areas. On the contrary, the poor lived in buildings, in where many families lived together, these homes were known as tenements. These tenements were in poor

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